The present invention relates in general to a serigraphic printing apparatus, such as a screen printing machine for the automatic printing of multi-color images in the textile industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to the operative interconnecting of existing obsolete screen printing machines to create a new machine having increased color and printing station/open station capabilities.
Modern day screen printing machines are adapted to index articles to be printed upon between individual printing stations for the purpose of receiving multi-color print images. One such screen printing machine which has enjoyed commercial success is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,189. In general, the screen printing machine includes an oval track or rail about which a series of pallets supporting an article are indexed from station to station. A printhead assembly having one or more color stations is operatively associated for movement into and out of printing relationship with one or more of the pallets as the pallets are indexed. These known screen printing machines are limited in the number of available printing stations and the ability to accommodate flashing within the printhead assembly.
In the area of textile screen printing, the imprinted sportswear industry has experienced dramatic changes over the past four years. As a result, there has been a vast increase in the number of colors used, and therefore, the number of printing stations required. In addition, the more sophisticated color patterns being designed and type of ink systems being used frequently require a number of open stations or stations available for intermediate flashing. Consequently, known machines manufactured in the conventional oval configuration, for example, with six, eight or ten colors and limited open printing stations for flashing have become obsolete. These obsolete screen printing machines represent a substantial investment for the textile screen printer. Accordingly, there is an unsolved need to enable use of these obsolete screen printing machines to accommodate the current trend in the textile screen printing industry which requires increased color and printing station/open station capabilities.